Former St. Lucie teacher says Playboy is calling

Tiffany Shepherd believes she was fired because of her second job as a bikini clad mate on a fishing charter boat.

Tiffany Shepherd

Tiffany Shepherd

FORT PIERCE - Tiffany Shepherd is considering doing something she said she wouldn't do while working as a bikini mate for Smokin' Em Charters &#151; going topless.

The former St. Lucie County School District high school biology teacher said she's been offered $25,000 per photo to be in the pages of Playboy magazine, and is considering doing it for her children's future.

"There's a lot of people coming up with a lot of different offers," Shepherd said via cell phone from New York on Wednesday following a television appearance. "When I started all this, it was for my children and it's still about my children, making sure that they're provided for."

Shepherd, a single mother with three boys, became a media sensation after claiming she was released from her teaching contract because of her job on a charter boat offering trips with bikini-clad and topless women.

The school district, however, cites Shepherd's "excessive absences," rather than the tattooed blonde's gig with Smokin' Em Charters. Shepherd had more than 30 unexcused absences this school year and two reprimands in her personnel file.

As news of the charters and Shepherd's bikini photos rocketed through the local media, the big-time inquiries started pouring in &#151; Dr. Phil, Maxim, FHM. Over the past few days, Playboy expressed interest in nude shots, she said.

The pictures, according to Smokin' Em Charters owner and Shepherd manager Kathi Coombes, would be done "very tastefully."

Other charter girls might be included.

"We can't comment on who we do or do not make offers to," said Jessica Sigelbaum, Playboy publicist.